Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meticulously adhering to a prescribed set of rules and rituals in preparation for his participation in the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram temple scheduled for January 22. According to sources, PM Modi is rigorously following the “Yam rules,” an 11-day regimen that involves penance, purification of the mind and body through meditation, and adhering to a special “satvik” diet that excludes items like onion and garlic.
In line with these practices, the Prime Minister has chosen to sleep on the floor with only a blanket and has limited his intake to coconut water. The ritualistic preparations for the temple consecration commenced on January 12, with PM Modi set to perform the puja for the “Pran Pratistha” on January 22. The main rituals for Pran Pratistha will be conducted by a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit.
“Pran Pratistha” involves infusing the idol with divine consciousness and is a fundamental step for every idol worshipped in a temple. The temple committee has specified the auspicious time for this ceremony as 12:30 pm on January 22. The Ram Lalla idol, sculpted by Arun Yogiraj in black stone, depicting Lord Ram at the age of five, was transported to the temple and placed in the sanctum sanctorum following a special puja ceremony. The formal installation is expected to take place today, as stated by Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra.
The consecration event is anticipated to draw over 11,000 guests from across the country and abroad, specially invited by the temple trust. The Central government has announced a half-day closure for all its offices in observance of this significant occasion.
In the lead-up to the consecration ceremony, PM Modi has urged people to conduct cleanliness drives at temples nationwide, exemplifying this call by participating in a “Swachchata Abhiyan” at the Kalaram Temple in Maharashtra’s Nashik last week.
